News

Posted
on Tue, 17 Jul 2018, 16:49

Copyright: WTO

The Secretariat of the World Trade Organization organized and hosted a Workshop on control, inspection and approval procedures from 09-10 July, 2018. The workshop provided a forum for discussion and experience sharing on developments, challenges and practices in implementing the SPS Agreement, Article 8 and Annex C on control, inspection and approval procedures. Approximately 40 government officials from developing country Members and Observers participated in the Workshop with the financial assistance of the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund (DDAGTF).

Posted
on Wed, 24 Aug 2016, 11:10

To tackle devastating crop diseases, Africa should boost regional plant surveillance. The emergence of Tuta absoluta on the African agricultural landscape has rekindled pertinent questions regarding Africa’s capability to protect local agriculture and enhance international trade. The importance of being battle-ready on a grand scale rather than leaving those who are struggling to make daily lives take up arms against a pest they barely know about, is therefore not difficult to see. Thus, strengthening our national or preferably regional approach to plant protection could be key.

Posted
on Mon, 02 Nov 2015, 10:42

The leaders of the WTO and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations announced on 2 November their agreement to collaborate on the issue of trade and food safety. WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo and FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva agreed at the FAO headquarters in Rome that the two organizations will look into how sanitary and phytosanitary standards and food safety can facilitate trade and promote development.

Posted
on Wed, 23 Jul 2014, 11:14

The WTO discussion on Trade Facilitation has been evolving. The attached PowerPoint presentation is for information to the IPPC Contracting Parties, which was presented by the IPPC Secretariat In the recent regional workshops. It is recommended that the Contracting Parties will pay special attentions to further development in the WTO community. For example, the General Council of the WTO did not complete the final agreement on the draft Protocol for the Agreement on Trade Facilitation, which was expected to happen in the Bali agreement package last year by the end of the previous month. (Please refer to the statement of ...

Posted
on Mon, 26 May 2014, 13:10

The Secretariat of the WTO is organizing various technical assistance activities on the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) in 2014. The overall objective of the SPS technical assistance activities is to enhance the knowledge and expertise of government officials from WTO developing country Members and Observers, so they can better understand and implement the SPS Agreement, benefit from its provisions, and strengthen their capacity to engage in the work of the SPS Committee. Activities planned for 2014: - Thematic SPS Workshop on Risk Analysis. From 13 to 17 October 2014 - Geneva, Switzerland. Application deadline: 6 ...

Posted
on Fri, 28 Jun 2013, 19:35

The IPPC Secretariat participated as an observer at this week’s meeting at the World Trade Organization’s Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures in Geneva, Switzerland. During the meeting, the Secretariat provided three important interventions to the Committee concerning the recent developments from the eighth Commission on Phytosanitary Measures in April, updates on recent and forthcoming capacity development activities, as well as the status of and forthcoming programs for the Implementation Review and Support System (IRSS). The Secretariat also made a short presentation during the roll-out of the Standard and Trade Development Facility's (STDF) publication on International Trade ...

Posted
on Wed, 13 Feb 2013, 19:22

Recent discussions between the Secretariats for the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the World Trade Organization’s SPS Committee were held with the objective of improving coordination and cooperation. As the IPPC has a formal role of standard setting for plant health within the SPS Agreement, it is essential that cooperation and coordination is optimized between the two Organizations at all times. The Secretariats discussed a wide range of subjects including increasing awareness and support for each other’s programmes regarding capacity development, standard setting, information exchange and dispute settlement. Regular follow-up meetings will be held and will include ...

Posted
on Fri, 11 Nov 2011, 09:10

On 18-19 October, 2011, the IPPC Secretariat reported to WTO/SPS Committee on the major developments related to the core activities of the IPPC, as well as on the activities of the CPM.

The purpose was to provide stakeholders the opportunity to take advantage of the information provided.
Specifically, the report emphasised the period July-October 2011 and summarized the principal issues addressed during those four months. The highlights of the IPPC Secretariat's report included:

The IPPC Standard Setting process has been reviewed for the third time and modifications have been recommended for CPM consideration in 2012

Posted
on Thu, 04 Nov 2010, 09:10

Magic numberDuring the 20 – 21 October meeting of the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Committee) at WTO headquarters in Geneva, attention was drawn to a new phytosanitary standards under development that could have a major impact on international trade in goods. In particular, it was noted that work is underway on a standard for “minimizing pest movement by sea containers and conveyances in international trade”, and a similar standard for air containers and aircraft will be developed in future.

Delegates were cautioned that work on these important standards could be delayed as the IPPC standards-setting programme is facing ...